Brandon Zachary Duncan Charged With First Degree Murder In Death Of Great Aunt Dianna Fitzwater

GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WUSA) -- Anne Arundel County police say they have charged a man with first-degree murder for allegedly strangling his great aunt in a home in Glen Burnie on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, officers went to a home in the 300 block of Gatewater Court to investigate the report of a death. They found 62-year-old Dianna Lee Fitzwater dead. A woman at the home told officers that she and Brandon Zachary Duncan found Fitzwater unresponsive in the living room after waking up, say police. The woman said when she was unsuccessful at waking Fitzwater she called 911.

On Wednesday, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Fitzwater died as a result of asphyxiation and the manner of death was homicide. Officers interviewed Duncan who admitted that he strangled Fitzwater, say police.

Duncan was then charged with first-degree murder and officers also found out that he was Fitzwater's great nephew.

Police say Duncan is under guard at a local hospital for unrelated issues, but did not provide any more details.

Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Detective J. Davis at 410-222-3413.